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MEDIAWAN AND PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT JOIN FORCES TO CREATE GLOBAL PRODUCTION PLATFORM
By joining forces with Plan B, Mediawan expands beyond its core European markets into the US.
Plan B's impressive body of film work includes, , and Recent film projects include, Andrew Dominik's for Netflix, Maria Schrader's for Universal Pictures, Sarah Polley's for MGM's Orion Pictures, Bong Joon-Ho's for Warner Brothers, David Michod's forthcoming film for A24, Cory Finley's forthcoming for MGM, and RaMell Ross's for MGM's Orion Pictures.
Plan B has also recently ramped up its television work with a wide range of projects including BAFTA and Peabody-winning the Josh Brolin-starrer for Amazon, Clea DuVall and Tegan & Sara's for Amazon's Freevee for FOX, a second season of in partnership with Ryan Murphy for FX, and the upcoming from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and Alex Woo , for Netflix
Mediawan is one of the premiere independent European studios producing audiovisual content and feature films. Its best-known titles include International Emmy award-wining starring Camille Cottin for FranceTV and Netflix, Hugo Blick's starring Emily Blunt for BBC and Amazon, Oscar and Golden Globes nominated starring Sophia Lorren for Netflix, French blockbusters starring Jean Dujardin and for Studiocanal, starring Douglas Booth and Dominic Cooper for AMC, as well as a strong line up with forthcoming for Canal+ and Sky, for Netflix, for Pathé, and with Zag.
The company was co-founded by Pierre-Antoine Capton , Xavier Niel , and Matthieu Pigasse, and is supported by its founders and its strategic partners, including KKR and Atwater Capital, which is led by Vania Schlogel .
As leaders in independent production in Europe and the United States , this unprecedented partnership between Mediawan and Plan B will create valuable synergies across talent development and IP acquisition and continue to build on an already strong content slate with a look to an increasingly global audience. Plan B's consistent ability to work with top-tier talent from across the world, coupled with the original and existing IP they have brought to the big and small screen, will, in combination with Mediawan's similarly established relationships and now this strategic investment, cultivate a greater number of immensely talented creators and premium projects for a global viewership.
," said Pierre-Antoine Capton , CEO and Co-Founder of Mediawan.
Plan B partners Brad Pitt , Dede Gardner , and Jeremy Kleiner , added: " ."
The acquisition by Mediawan is consistent with the group's expansion strategy beyond Europe into English-speaking markets to develop international productions and bring together the world's greatest talents wherever they want to work. A strategy, supported by Mediawan's shareholders: KKR, Atwater Capital, Bpifrance, MACSF, and Société Générale, that all participate in the financing of this operation through a capital increase.
The three partners in Plan B also enter the capital of Mediawan as part of the acquisition.
The investment in Plan B will be made via a newly created entity, Mediawan US, which will coordinate Mediawan's activities and future developments in the US. The Board of Mediawan US will be chaired by Vania Schlogel , with Pierre-Antoine Capton as CEO.
Mediawan US will hold significant stakes in Plan B as well as in Blue Morning Pictures, the production company launched in 2022 by Mediawan with Oscar winning filmmakers Florian Zeller and Federica Sainte-Rose .
Vania Schlogel , Founder and Managing Partner at Atwater Capital, and future Chairwoman of the Mediawan US Board, said:
Philipp Freise , Partner and Co-head of European Private Equity at KKR and Franziska Kayser , Managing Director at KKR, commented: " ."
Moelis & Company served as lead financial advisor, Willkie Farr & Gallagher served as legal advisor, and CAA served as advisors to Plan B. Brillstein Entertainment served as advisor to Brad Pitt . Centerview Partners acted as financial advisors and Latham & Watkins acted as legal advisor to Mediawan. BNP Paribas served as advisor to the cofounders of Mediawan. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Created in late 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton , Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, Mediawan is one of the main independent European studios producing audiovisual content. The Group brings together best-in-class talents in audiovisual creation by operating on the entire value chain: production of drama, unscripted, documentary, cinema and animated original content, thanks to over 60 production labels in France , Germany (partnership with LEONINE Studios since 2020), England , Italy , Spain , the United-States , the Netherlands , Finland and Senegal (Mediawan Studios), distribution of audiovisual content (Mediawan Rights, LS Distribution and Telmondis Distribution) and publishing of channels and digital services (Mediawan Thematics) as well as the development and production of digital content (Mediawan Digital).
Headed by Brad Pitt and co-presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner , Plan B Entertainment is a long-standing film and television production company. Their film work includes: , , a reimagination of and . Alongside their filmography, their acclaimed television work includes: , , , , , and . Their acclaimed television work includes the Peabody Award winning and Emmy-nominated , , , BAFTA-nominated Emmy-nominated , Emmy-winning , and . The company has a first-look feature film production deal with the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, and a second-look features deal at MGM. Their overall first-look deal for television is with Amazon Prime Video.
Focused exclusively on the Media and Entertainment sectors, Atwater was founded with the vision of uniting the valuable creative aspects of evaluating investments and growing companies with deep operational and financial expertise under one roof and one team. Going against the status quo of traditionally segregating these critical activities, Atwater seeks to extract the synergies of applying quantitative rigor to creative strategy on behalf of our portfolio companies and stakeholders.
Atwater brings a track record of excellence in operational and financial strategy in order to deliver tangible results. Whether through optimizing operational processes, unlocking business development opportunities, delivering an extensive network of influencers to create authentic messaging, or digitizing away from ineffective and capital-intensive traditional branding activities — Atwater brings nimble and disruptive strategies to our investments.
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
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